When it struck 8:52am: Earthquake victims waiting to rebuild shattered lives

K-P govt pledges Rs3.7 billion to rebuild 760 schools destroyed on October 8, 2005.

HARIPUR: Unable to fight back the tears even after a decade, hundreds gathered to remember loved ones lost on October 8, 2005. It was the day of the worst natural disaster in the history of the country, the Kashmir earthquake, claimed over 74,000 lives. In Balakot, one of the worst affected areas, thousands were also left homeless.

A decade on, a large part of the country still stands united with people of the affected areas. All the while, governments have come and gone, but the plight of the earthquake victims remains the same.



Business activity was suspended for half the day as traders closed shop and gathered to remember those lost on the day. Fateha was offered and Quran Khwanis were held for the departed souls.

The main function was held at a mass grave for 84 students of the Government High School for Boys Garla. In tow with parents and students, the district, tehsil and council nazims had gathered along with councillors and activists of PTI, PML-N, JI, JUI-F and PPP. However, not a single parliamentarian or district administration official turned up to pay their respects.

Mansehra district nazim Sardar Said Ghulam and tehsil nazim Haji Rustum Khan placed floral wreaths at the mass grave site before offering Fateha.

At exactly 8.52am, a two-minute silence was observed in honour of the victims. Special prayers were also offered in the morning and afternoon at the mosques of Balakot.

New Balakot

The district nazim expressed concern over the delay in resettlement work on New Balakot City. He said some 5,000 families had been suffering for a complete decade as a consequence. Ghulam accused the provincial government of not being concerned over the problems of affected communities in Balakot.

Ghulam added these people were living in the worst possible conditions and faced tremendous hardships related to civic necessities, health and schooling.

He vowed to hold a meeting with all stakeholders within the next two weeks and resolve the issue of land possession.

The earmarked space to house inhabitants of the red zone was yet to be taken over by the Earthquake Relief and Rehabilitation Authority, causing a five-year delay in the completion of the project. Ghulam said efforts were afoot to clear any hurdles on the path of the much needed initiative which would provide schools, hospitals and infrastructure. Rustum also spoke on the occasion and expressed similar views.

Rebuilding education

K-P Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Muhammad Atif said the provincial government has pledged an amount of Rs3.7 billion to rebuild 760 schools destroyed by the 2005 earthquake. He said the federal government had failed to fulfil its responsibility, forcing the PTI-led provincial government to take the matter into its own hands.

The minister said around 2,000 educational institutions destroyed by the earthquake in Hazara Division were yet to be rebuilt.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 9^th, 2015.